We put the magic powder to the test.
By Sarra Sedghi Updated May 08, 2019
Targeted ads are a bit like art: They reflect life. And if you’ve tried out seven different boxed cake mixes in the last month, that means your social feed is going to display all kinds of ads for King Arthur Flour.
That’s how I came across Cake Enhancer, a King Arthur product that promises to keep homemade baked goods soft and moist for longer than they would otherwise. King Arthur insists it isn’t magic. It’s actually an emulsifying agent made from a mixture of rice starch, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono-, and diglycerides.
Cake and other baked goods already contain other emulsifiers, notably egg yolks, oil, or milk. Emulsification is key to the baking process, as it stabilizes ingredients that don’t combine easily, like oil and water. If you’ve ever had a cake fall apart or stirred up some broken batter, the mixture likely didn’t emulsify properly. This stability is exactly why it’s so important to follow baking recipes and instructions as closely as possible. Eggs and butter don’t mix well when they’re cold, and will leave you with clumpy, separated batter. The same thing can happen if you add too many ingredients at once or mix them in too quickly. In short, the more stable your batter, the better your cake will turn out.
Boxed cake mixes come packed with shelf-stable emulsifiers, and as a result usually aren’t subject to breaking up like a homemade cake batter might. Since it’s a powder, the emulsifiers in Cake Enhancer will give from-scratch cake a boost without changing its alchemical makeup (and causing more problems). Cake Enhancer allows you all the glory that comes with making a cake from-scratch, but adds the shelf-stable levity you’d get from Betty Crocker.
cake-enhancer-batter
Annie Campbell
The Test
To determine whether the cake enhancer worked, we ordered a jar from King Arthur’s website to test out on our foolproof yellow cake recipe. The recipe yields enough batter to fill two 8-inch square pans, making it perfect for experiments: One pan was filled with the 1-2-3-4 Cake batter as-is, while the second contained batter mixed with 1 ½ tablespoons of Cake Enhancer.
cake-enhancer-done
Annie Campbell
The noticeable differences between the enhanced and regular cake started with the batter itself: Adding Cake Enhancer to the batter made it thicker and creamier. The disparities continued in the oven, as the non-enhanced cake finished baking about 12 minutes earlier. Additionally, the enhanced cake released from the greased and floured pan with surprising ease, while a thin skin of crumbs clung to the control cake pan.
The distinctions didn’t stop there. The very appearance of both cakes was enough to show that the cake enhancer made a difference. The enhanced cake (Pictured right) rose higher and had a more rounded top. As far as eating went, both cakes were similar, minus one critical nuance: Texture. It was subtle, but the enhanced cake definitely had a softer feel and a little more give once bitten. Cake Enhancer, much like the name suggests, takes a delicious, buttery homemade cake and gives it just enough edge to make it perfect.
cake-enhancer-slices
Annie Campbell
If you’re new to baking from scratch, a little insurance in the form of Cake Enhancer isn’t such a bad idea. The last thing you want to do while baking your first cake from scratch is panic over how it’s gonna turn out. Of course, nothing’s wrong with forgoing it, or just opting for a box mix instead.
FAQs
The King Arthur Flour Company describes its Cake Enhancer as a “miracle ingredient.” When added to cake batter at the creaming stage, it supposedly renders the crumb soft and moist and increases shelf life.
What is a cake booster? ›
King Arthur insists it isn't magic. It's actually an emulsifying agent made from a mixture of rice starch, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono-, and diglycerides. Cake and other baked goods already contain other emulsifiers, notably egg yolks, oil, or milk.
What is the use of cake improver? ›
A cake improver is a special enzyme based technology that enables you to improve a functionality of your batter or final cake. It acts as the missing piece of your cake puzzle that allows you to attain excellence.
What are the ingredients in bread and cake enhancer? ›
Ingredients. Rice starch, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono- and diglycerides.
Does dough enhancer work? ›
Dough Enhancer Benefits
Dough conditioners assist with the following functions: Expedites the rising and proofing process to save time and effort in the bread-making process. Makes the dough easier to manage and more tolerant to handling. Improves the environment and nutrients in the dough to promote yeast growth.
Do I need a cake lifter? ›
So a skilled baker might find something like a cake lifter totally unnecessary. But for those of us who merely dabble in pastry—and still want results that look like they came from a pair of those professional hands—a cake lifter is a game changer. And a safeguard for potential birthday disasters.
Why does baking soda increase cake size? ›
Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause batters to rise when baked. The leavener enlarges the bubbles which are already present in the batter produced through creaming of ingredients.
What is the use of improver in baking? ›
Aids in Gas Retention.
Bread improvers are manufactured for the many styles of dough making and mixing equipment in use today. Bread improvers rapidly modify the gluten structure in a dough, to produce a matrix so that the minimum amount of gas can be retained and hence assist the expansion or leavening of the dough.
Which 2 ingredients help the cake to rise? ›
Firstly, you need to mix your baking powder/bicarbonate of soda through your flour before you add this to the mixture. These two ingredients are the most common raising agents in baking, so I've focused on them here (also make sure they are in date!).
What is Evaporex for cake? ›
Evaporex is a non-alcoholic product to be used for painting and airbrushing on cakes covered with fondant, buttercream, cream and chocolate ganache. It is an ideal product to use on frostings as it evaporates without leaving any wetness. It can be used with all kinds of edible colours and luster dusts.
To use cake enhancer in your recipes, simply follow the manufacturer's instructions and add the recommended amount to your batch of cake batter. Typically, cake enhancer is added into the batter at the creaming stage, which helps it to yield the best textural results.
What is enhancer in baking? ›
A dough enhancer is a powder that is supposed to make your dough smoother and is what commercial bakers often use to obtain the smooth textured bread you buy in the store. My bread doesn't last long since we eat it quickly, but it is supposed to help with shelf life as well!"
What is a substitute for dough enhancer? ›
Tips for using your own everyday items as dough enhancers in WHEAT BREAD:
- Gluten: use 1/2 T. – 1 T. ...
- WHITE Vinegar: use the same amount of vinegar that you are using for yeast (i.e. 1 t. yeast – 1 t. ...
- Potato Flakes: use 1/8 to 1/4 C. per loaf of bread you are making, experiment to see what works best in your recipe. (
If the batter contains too much raising agent, this may result in a cake rising too quickly. Reduce the amount of raising agent. If the baking pan is too small, the batter has nowhere to go but up. It will then form a dome, and eventually crack.
What is the point of a cake leveler? ›
A cake leveler is a tool that is used to slice off just the dome of a cake, giving you a nice, flat surface to begin stacking and decorating.
What is the best raising agent for cakes? ›
Baking powder is a raising agent that is commonly used in cake-making. It is made from an alkali, bicarbonate of soda, and an acid, cream of tartar, plus a filler like cornflour or rice flour which absorbs moisture.
